Double deck cot



Jun 5, 1962 E. w. ANDEREGG 3,037,213

DOUBLE DECK COT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1960 nu 1 EI I I I I I |1 |H H r w II INVENTOR.

fawn/a0 W finazmese BY FTTJR/VEY June 5, 1962 E. w. ANDEREGG DOUBLE DECK COT Filed June 10, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N R u FM w m w w United States Patent 2 3,037,213 DOUBLE DECK COT Edward W. Anderegg, 635 Sunset Circle, Green Bay, Wis. Filed June 10, 1960, Ser. No. 35,217 2 Claims. (Cl. 8)

This invention relates generally to sleeping cots, and more particularly to a knockdowndouble deck cot arrangement, having center post support means, and the individual cots thereof are foldable into a compact unit.

The purpose of this invention is to avoid relatively heavy double deck bunk bed constructions, and provide a light weight, yet strong, double deck cot arrangement.

An object of this invention is the provision of a double deck cot arrangement having removable internal liner couplers, in the legs thereof, for maintaining assembly of the cots.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a double deck cot arrangement usable as a multiple deck bed or as single cots.

Yet another object is to provide a light weight double deck cot arrangement characterized by center leg support means.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a knockdown double deck cot arrangement wherein the individual cots thereof are foldable into a compact unit.

Another object is to provide a double deck cot arrangement that is simple in construction, economic in cost, light in weight, easily handled, and easily stored.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a foldable cot that is downwardly foldable about its middle, yet possesses horizontal rigidity when lifted at its ends.

Other specific objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the FIGURES thereof and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 1;

' FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, showing center post support means;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in section, showing corner post coupler means;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the off-set center post, per se; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the corner post liner coupler per se.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding pairs throughout the several views, there is generally indicated an upper foldable cot 10 mounted on a lower cot 11 thereby forming a double deck cot arrangement in tier relationship.

Upper cot 10 comprises a horizontal rectangular frame member generally indicated at 12 consisting of a pair of tubular U-sections 13 and 14, pivotally joined, at their leg ends, to the upper portions of paired spaced gusset plates generally indicated at 15 and 16, by means of rivet pins such as indicated at 17 and 18, respectively.

Spaced vertical central legs 19 and 21 are also disposed between said paired gusset plates 15 and 16, adjacent the underside of the ends of said U-sections, and

ice

fixedly secured to the lower portions of said gusset plates as by rivets 22 and 23, respectively, spaced from the ends of said U-sections and disposed beyond the margins of said legs 19 and 21.

A tubular U-brace 24 having the hollow legs thereof directed vertically upwardly, is rigidly connected across the upper end portions of central legs 19 and 21 by means of said elongated rivets 22 and 23, respectively.

Supporting duck fabric 25 is secured to said rectangular frame 12 in the usual manner as by stitched edge sleeves.

Obviously, the rectangular frame 12 is hinged at its middle by means of pins 17 and 18, and is foldable thereabout as indicated by dotted lines 26 and 27, see FIG. 1.

Identical end leg frames, such as head frame 28 and foot frame 29, are pivotally linked to the horizontal frame 12 so that said end frames can be folded under said horizontal frame 12, as shown by dotted lines generally indicated at 31, see FIG. 1, and into the plane of said horizontal frame 12, to provide a compact flat arrangement convenient for packaging, shipping, and storage.

Head frame 28 comprises an inverted U-tube, pivotally linked to the horizontal frame 12 by means of paired oppositely disposed links, such as indicated at 32 and 33, and 34 and 35.

Said U-frame 28, operably vertically disposed, terminates in leg portions 36 and 37, spaced apart a distance less than the width of the horizontal frame 12, for fold able disposition inside said frame.

Companion links 32 and 33 are pivotally connected to said frame 12 and head frame 28 by means of rivet pins 38 and 39, and 41 and 42, respectively.

Associated links 34 and 35 are pivotally connected to said horizontal frame 12 and head frame 28 by means of rivet pins 43 and 44, and 45 and 46, respectively.

When the cot 10 is operatively assembled, the body portion or cross bar 47, of U-tube 14, bears on companion links 32 and 33 acting as stop members, thereby correctly relating the horizontal rectangular frame 12 to the associated and vertically related head frame 28.

Companion links 32 and 33, and associated links 34 and 35 are each of off-set construction to accommodate them to the design of their cooperative members.

Foot frame 29 is identical in construction and embodiment to the above described head frame 28, and therefore its description need not be separately disclosed.

It is to be noted that all six of the legs for said cot 10 are of the same length, for disposing the frame thereof horizontally; that is, the ends of said legs lie in a plane parallel to the plane of the frame 12.

Lower cot 11 is substantially identical in construction to cot 10, except for the head and foot frames. In the upper cot 10, the head and foot frames comprise inverted U-tubes, with the legs thereof directed downwardly; whereas, in lower cot 11, the head and foot frames comprise conventionally disposed and oriented U-tubes, that is with the leg ends thereof directed upwardly. In each instance the end U-tube frames have portions thereof projecting about 4 inches above their associated horizontal frames, though the invention is not limited thereto.

Each cot 10 or 11 can be used separately as a bed, or they can be combined, one above the other, to provide a strong and rigid double deck bunk bed or tier arrangement.

To accomplish the double deck cot arrangement requires the use of the long tubular off-set liner coupler such as indicated at 48, see FIG. 7, and the short tubular liner coupler such as indicated at 49, see FIG. 8.

in assembling the double deck cot arrangement, short tubular liners such as indicated at 49 are inserted in all of the hollow corner legs, of the lower cot 11, such as in corner legs 51, see FIGS. 6 and 1, with the tubular liners bearing on rivets, such as indicated at 52. Said rivets serve the dual function of supporting said tubular liners, and of pivotally linking the links, such as indicated at 53, to the corner legs, of lower cot 11, such as indicated at 51. The outer diameter of said short tubular liners 49 is slightly less than the inner diameter of the corner legs 51, so that said short liner couplers 49 are quite easily inserted and removed from said legs.

The long off-set liner couplers, such as indicated at 48, see FIGS. 7, 5 and 4, are then inserted in the open end portions of U-brace 54, of lower cot 11, such as indicated at 55, with the short off-set end portion 56 received in said end portion 55 and bearing on a rivet, such as indicated at 57, for support. The long upper portions 58, of said off-set liner couplers 48, are swung transversely outwardly, to line up with and to receive the central legs of the upper cot 10, such as indicated at 21, telescopically thereover, as hereinafter described. The outer diameter of said long liner couplers 48 is slightly less than the inner diameter of the associated U-brace 54 and center legs 19 and 21, so that said long off-set liner couplers are quite easily inserted and removed from said brace and legs.

To finally complete the double deck arrangement, cot 10 is raised over cot 11, such as indicated by dotted lines at 59, see FIG. 3, and lowered so that the hollow corner legs of cot 10, such as indicated at 36 telescope over the short liner couplers, such as indicated at 49, and come to rest and bear on the upper ends of the corner legs of the lower cot, such as indicated at 51, in substantial alignment therewith. The cot possesses horizontal rigidity when raised at its end because of the engagement of the U-section leg ends with the top of the center legs.

In the meantime, the center legs of upper cot 10, such as indicated at 21, see FIG. 5, telescope over the upper portions of said off-set coupler, such as indicated at 58, until the top end of the couplers engage the lower of the rivets, such as indicated at 23, to support the upper cot thereby. The long off-set liner couplers 48 are of a length to support the mid-section of cot 10 horizontally at the elevation of the ends of said cot.

When one desires to utilize the cots separately, one merely lifts the upper cot clear of the liner couplers, carries the upper cot to one side of the lower cot, and sets down the upper cot wherever desired. The liner couplers are then liftably removed from the lower cot and stored until required for a future double deck arrangement of the cots.

To obtain lightweight advantage, aluminum tubing is used, however, the invention is not limited thereto; and center leg supports are used to lessen the span length.

Some characteristic features of this invention are the provision of a double deck cot arrangement wherein tubular corner legs thereof are aligned by means of removable internal liner couplers; the provision of a double deck cot arrangement having removable ofi-set liner couplers for the support of the mid-section of the upper cot; and the provision of a double deck cot arrangement wherein the tubular legs thereof are maintained in assembled relation by means of removable internal liner couplers.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A multiple deck cot, comprising: a lower cot ineluding a horizontal rectangular frame having a supporting fabric secured to the sides thereof for supporting an occupant thereon, legs substantially at the corners of said frame and centrally of the sides thereof for supporting said frame, said corner legs extending above said frame and said center legs terminating at said frame, vertically disposed sleeve means connected to said center legs disposed inwardly of said center legs, respectively, and terminating substantially at said frame, and support projection means in said sleeve means; an upper cot including a horizontal rectangular frame having a supporting fabric secured to the sides thereof for supporting an occupant thereon, legs substantially at the corners of said frame and centrally of the sides thereof for supporting said frame, said center legs being tubular and having support projections therein; said upper cot being superposed on said lower cot to form a multiple cot arrangement through means of disposing the corner legs of said upper cot on the corresponding aligned corner legs of said lower cot and disposing the center legs of said upper cot above the corresponding aligned center legs of said lower cot; means for securing said corner legs together against relative sidewise displacement; and an offset connector received in each of said lower cot sleeve means bearing on the support projection therein and extending upwardly into the upper cot adjacent tubular center legs and supportably engaging the support projection in said center legs, respectively, said offset connectors comprising substantially parallel end portions and a connecting diagonal intermediate portion.

2. A multiple deck cot, comprising: a lower cot including a horizontal rectangular support frame means for supporting an occupant thereon, legs for supporting said frame means substantially at the corners thereof, sleeve means secured to the sides of said frame means substantially centrally thereof the axes of said sleeve means extending vertically, and support projections in said sleeve means; an upper cot including a horizontal rectangular frame having a supporting fabric secured to the sides thereof for supporting an occupant thereon, sleeve means secured to the sides of said frame substantially centrally thereof the axes of said sleeve means extending vertically, and support projections in said sleeve means; said upper cot being superposed on said lower cot to form a multiple cot arrangement through means of disposing the corner legs of said upper cot on the corresponding aligned corner legs of said lower cot and the sleeve means of upper cot being disposed above and laterally of the corersponding sleeve means of the lower cot; and an offset connector received in each of said lower cot sleeve means bearing on the support projection therein and extending upwardly into the corresponding upper cot sleeve means and supportably engaging the support projection therein, said offset connectors comprising substantially parallel end portions and a connecting diagonal intermediate portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,476,371 Russell Dec. 4, 1923 2,306,438 Hallock Dec. 29, 1942 2,757,386 Lappin Aug. 7, 1956 2,758,379 Senk Aug. 14, 1956 2,866,208 Vanderminden Dec. 30, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 180,672 Austria Ian. 10, 1955 541,054 Italy Mar. 20, 1956 810,055 Great Britain Mar. 11, 1959 

